The Beauty of The Beast
by SoScreamsAWhisper
Summary: Klarion has kidnapped Zatanna, who the Light have decided to use to draw her father and Doctor Fate out, but will their evil scheme prevail? Well, for the time being, Klarion will just have to play babysitter. I don't own the cover image, but I adore it.
1. The Babymagic begins

_The beauty of The Beast-_

_chapter one: Babymagic begins_

* * *

Disclaimer: I do _**not**_ own YJ or any of its characters.

* * *

Zatanna Zatara hit the ground hard, making it near impossible to move as another thing was sent flying at her.

She wasn't quite sure**_ HOW_** she did it, but she managed to roll away just in time to avoid a flying tree branch.

The person hurling things at her was the boy-witch, Klarion, himself. She looked around for some help- but no one seemed to be coming to her aid.

Figures.

The justice league had no idea where she was or what she was doing. She'd left in the dead of night after receiving a strange message regarding her father, telling her to come to a certain location, but upon arrival, she fell straight into an ambush.

And what's worse- she'd rejected the _**SMART**_ notion to actually bring someone along, and now she was in a deep fight for her life, which seemed to want to end in her death nonetheless.

Also, she couldn't even defend herself using magic. He'd made sure to cast a spell that took away her mystic abilities- which, not only made her somewhat weaker, but extremely peeved off.

"Oh, what's wrong, Babymagic?" he asked in his nasally, immature voice, which also held a certain tone of mockery and sadism, "Oops, sorry. That's No-magic now."

She pushed herself roughly to her feet. "Shut up, Klarion. You're giving me a headache."

Zatanna was forced to dodge again as, this time, a large knife was hurled at her.

He whispered a small incantation.,"Diabolus, hostis meus, ut explodere caput tuum, et vade."

(translated: "Fiend, my foe, make thy head explode, go.")

"So, let's see if I can make your head explode."

Zataan felt a sharp pain strike her head, forcing her to her knees. She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth. She felt like she was about to explode!

"Desine!" She cried aloud, desperately.

("Cease!")

Nothing happened.

Klarion chuckled at her desperate attempt with magic. He sighed, loosening his grip on the spell, much to Klarion's disappointment. "I can't kill you yet. That would spoil everything."

He shook his head in annoyance. "But it's no fun this way, is it?"

She rolled her eyes at his childishness. She ducked a new incantation- a fire incantation.

She may not have magic at the moment, but that didn't make her completely useless. She could still fight.

She flung herself into the air, trying an airborne kick to his face. It struck, but unfortunately, so did he- right into her side with raging lightning.

The electric shock rendered her unconscious, making her fall to the ground with a thud.

Klarion landed right beside her helpless body.

_No. Not hard in the least._


	2. Babymagic awakens

_The Beauty of The Beast-_

__chapter two: Babymagic awakens__

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__Did I mention that I DON'T own this?__

* * *

A dimly lit room. That's the first thing she saw when she woke up. The first thing she felt, on the other hand, was a throbbing pain in her head.

She had no memory at all why she was were she was.

She sat up and immediately regretted it, but managed to stay upright.

She was all alone- or so she thought.

"Where am I?" she asked aloud.

There was no answer, not that she expected there to be… Then suddenly, "The guest room."

Her head shot up in shock. Right there- standing in the doorframe in front of her- was the least likely person she'd expect to see-

Klarion.

He smirked at her shock. "What's wrong? Expecting someone else, Babymagic?"

She grimaced at the nick-name. "Don't call me that!"

He rolled his eyes at her. "If I remember correctly- I'm the one in charge here."

"Re-evaluate," she retorted.

He sighed. "Whatever you say, Babymagic. but let me make myself clear, you may be in _**MY**_ guest room, but that doesn't make you a guest. A prisoner is still a prisoner-"

"So what do yo plan to keep me as? A servant?!"

He shook his head. "The Light has commanded that, since you're a magician, I must watch you. You are a prisoner, as aforementioned, but you also, as _**YOU**_mentioned, _**WILL**_ be a servant- until the light decides that they _need_ you."

Zatanna closed her eyes, taking in all the new information. When she opened them again, she asked calmly, "What does the Light need me for?"  
He shrugged simply. "I guess it could do you no harm to know, since you're already here and not getting out _**ANYTIME**_ soon. The Light plans on using you to draw Doctor Fate into their trap."

Zatanna's eyes went wide. She began silently cursing herself for falling into the trap.

Klarion smirked, guessing what she was doing. "Oh, don't be too hard on yourself, Babymagic. You really did put up a good fight."

She refused to look at him as he continued, "No, wait- you didn't. Guess I was thinking of someone else."

She looked back at him, an expressionless look upon her face. "You're wrong. You and the Light are wrong."

He raised and eyebrow. "Oh? How so? Care to enlighten me?"

She found the words were being forced out her lips by him. "Doctor Fate doesn't care about me- my dad can't get through to me. Believe me, I've tried," she said bitterly. "He won't come."

Klarion just shrugged once again. We'll see."

Zatanna looked him straight in the face and stated, as if it were the simplest thing to say, "You realize you won't get away with what you're planning."

Klarion smiled. "Aw, is Babymagic so set upon the fact that Doctor Fate won't help her that she has to repeat it _several_ times?" he rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest already. Well, I'll leave you to it, then."

As he walked away, he closed the door behind himself.

She closed her eyes and fell back onto the bed. Fate wouldn't come…

would he?


	3. Babymagic loses her shoes

The Beauty of the beast-

chapter three: Babymagic loses her shoes.

* * *

No. I told you- I REALLY DOOOOONNNNN'T own this.

* * *

Zatanna screamed, jerking into consciousness. She hadn't had a nightmare, but she was now soaking wet. And the reason?

Klarion.

Well, maybe it _**WAS**_ a nightmare after all…

She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, and sleepily asked, "Why'd you do that?!"

The lord of Chaos rolled his "almighty" eyes at her. "Well, I WAS trying to wake you, but you are an _exceptionally_ sound sleeper, did you know that? Cause it took me screaming and yelling- then that," he gestured to her wet being.

She sighed, looking down at her own body. "You're lucky I have no magic right now or I'd-"

"Yeah, about that- I should probably tell you that you're little trick that you call magic returned-"

Upon hearing this, she immediately recited, "Somne, daemon;"

("Sleep, Demon!")

Nothing happened. He rolled his eyes. "You really _**ARE**_ a amateur, aren't you? You're powers came back **_HOURS_ **ago. I made sure to put a magicenque haurientes armillam (magic-draining bracelet) on you when you were sleeping."

She looked down at her wrist and, for the first time that day, she noticed a thin, silver cuff-like bracelet on her left wrist.

Though, Zatanna had other things on her mind. She found that she was somewhat creeped out by the fact that he had been in the same room as her while she'd been _**ASLEEP. **_

She also made it a point to point it out. "You're creepy, you know that?"

He shrugged it off. "Think what you will. It doesn't bother me a bit…., Babymagic."

She gritted her at the nickname. "Hey, shut up about it, will you?!"

He smirked, recognizing the nerve he just struck. "Whatever. There's a fresh pair of work-cloths for you in the wardrobe. Meet me downstairs when you're ready."

He left without giving her the time to protest.

She just sighed and walked over to the wardrobe he had pointed out to her moments previous. She wasn't surprised to find the very clothes that he mentioned before.

They weren't exactly what she'd call work-clothes. It was a single, deep red dress with black lace gently surrounding the waist, almost like a corset- which she hoped it really wasn't. The sleeves were made of the same black lace themselves. There were no shoes at all, though, but she didn't quite mind that (she had her own, after all).

As soon as she stripped out of her other clothes, then vanished, making her suspect that Klarion had cast a spell to do that.

Unfortunately, that also meant that when she took her shoes off to change, they were the first things to go.

She sighed. _So much for my old shoes_.

Her feet touched the cold, black marble floor. She found herself wishing that she had never taken off her shoes at all

She cursed herself for her weakness at the same time. Though, she had been comfortably surprised to find that the dress she wore felt warm against her- though, she believed Klarion had something to do with that. (A warmth spell?)

She just shrugged the thought off and hurried down the long staircase as fast as she could.

She was somewhat annoyed, but not surprised with the seemingly common knowledge that Klarion _**REALLY**_ liked cold, marble floor. Although, this was a dark crimson floor this time.

She was also amused with Klarions's gothic taste (even the dress seemed to fit in that category), but she also had to agree that he_** DID**_ have good taste nonetheless.

She threw open the large door in front of her.

He was on the other side, impatiently tapping his toes, waiting for her obviously.

He glanced up as she entered. He took in her new look in with a single glance.

"Hmmmm, it'll suffice," he decided at last.

She felt that was the best he could do to give her a "compliment".

She shivered suddenly, her feet feeling on the point of freezing off. Her shiver was caught by the corner of his eye.

"Is something wrong, Babymagic? Or are you just scared?"

She wanted to huff in irritation, but instead, all she could manage to hide another shiver- but apparently not well enough.

"There it is again- that shiver. What's it supposed to mean? _**ARE**_ you scared?"

Zatanna shook her head. "No. I'm cold."

Her smirked. "Oh, that's a _wonderful_ excuse. How are you cold? I sewed cold-breaker spells into the stitches myself. You should be anything but cold. Face it, Lil'magic, you're scared."

"Am not," she gritted from between her teeth. "My _**FEET**_ are cold!"

He looked down at her bare toes. "Where are you shoes?"

She exhaled deeply, finding the need to seriously resist the urge to face-palm right about now. "You're stupid spell made them disappear when I took them off to change!"

He rolled his eyes at her tone. She sounded like s little child to her. "My spells are genius. But you, poor mortal, are too** _inconvenient_ **to realize the worth of them! Now, stand back and let me work."

He closed his eyes to cast a spell.  
"Ego vocare te caligas de corio nigro calor aeternum!"

("I summon thee, black leather boots of eternal warmth!")

Zatanna was delightedly surprised to find her feet were no large on the cold marble floor, but instead, on the soles of the boots now protecting her feet.

She smiled at the man who'd helped her with her shoe crisis.

She looked at him, suddenly feeling awkward about the whole thing. "Um, thanks."

He said nothing about it, just gave a curt nod. "I'll show you where to begin now. Follow me."


	4. Babymagic decides redundant

_The beauty of The Beast-_

_chapter four: Babymagic decides "redundant", Klarion decides "Orphan"_

* * *

Yeah. Still don't have ownership. Sorry.

* * *

Zatanna followed Klarion up the stairs, to a large, dark red door- which turned out to be a glorified closet.

She raised an eye-brow at him, questioning is sanity, no doubt (yea, nothing's there _anymore..._).

He just shrugged in return. "Hey, you wanted to be the maid," he pointed out.

She resisted the serious urge to face-palm at his words. "Yeah, that's not what I meant."

He shrugged again, making it perfectly clear that, if he could care, he wouldn't. "Just clean the house already."

She glanced around the room, turning back to him to only raise her eye-brows once again to his sanity; the room was perfectly clean, with absolutely _**NOTHING**_ wrong. Nothing out of place. Nothing dusty, dirty, or otherwise unclean.

He just thrust the broom into her hands anyway.

She sighed, realizing that she'd just have to play house-maid for this freak (her opinion at the moment. Not mine. He's awesome). "Right. I'll get this done."

He nodded, walking over to the door. He offered a small, "I'll leave you to it," then walked out, leaving her to do absolutely _**NOTHING**_.

She sighed once more.

_Let's get this "cleaned" up, then,_ she decided quickly.

* * *

Klarion stared on in interest. He was watching security footage of a very enraged Zatanna. He'd had _several _cameras placed around each room. Yes. He'd let her move around alone... but then, it wouldn't really be alone, would it? No. His eyes would still follow.

He smirked as she begun an imitation of him.

"'Clean this room, Babymagic!'" she began, "Well, there's _**NOTHING** _even bloody wrong with it, you evil toad!"

He pouted in his childish way. _Toad's not very nice,_ he decided. But didn't move nonetheless.

He watched with restricted attention as she fiddled once again. "Well, I can't clean what isn't unclean! Sue me."

He smirked as the broom landed on the ground in her anger. He also smirked at the fact that she was strangely pretty when she got angry. He winced when he realized what he'd just thought. He shook his head, hoping to clear it of such thoughts.

Instead, he decided that she was very interesting indeed.

_Perhaps babysitting this wretch won't be as bad as I aforethought. She may prove to be entertainment just yet._

He continued to watch as she sent something flying across the room in apparent anger. At him. He almost laughed, but managed to hold back.

She'd actually thrown her shoe!

Then, she ran back over to retrieve it, seemingly remembering the cold floors.

This time, he just had to laugh. He laughed so hard he fell out of the chair. He rushed to get back up, not for fear of messing up his suit, but instead for fear of missing anything.

This girl really was something. That much was clear.

He sighed, wiping away tears that had formed in his eyes from watching her childish and stupid tantrum.

He suddenly felt a strange feeling coursing through him. Her words attacked him viciously. _"Doctor Fate doesn't **care** about me- my dad can't get through to me. Believe me, I've tried. He won't come."_

He felt almost mad at Nabu, he realized. If he didn't come, that was his loss. This chick was... something, true. But she also didn't deserve to lose her dad the way she did, although it had been a bit of his fault also. But he didn't care about that. Her father had abandoned her. He knew what that felt like.

Whenever he saw either one of his parents, all they did was talk to each other and ignore him. Although, his mom tried more than his dad did to communicate. She tried a smile every now and then. But even then, it just didn't feel completely genuine. No. The best thing his mother had every done for him was get Teekl for him.

Teekl was, to him, what his mother should be. She was the replacement that he relied on. That was the only reason he like the cat was because of her mother-like importance that she held to him. His father hadn't even tried to be a good dad, so in a way, Teekl wasn't only the mother-figure. She was also his father-figure. But that hadn't mattered to him. Teekl was his one and only friend. The only thing he'd ever need in this world. She was good enough to be both parent-figures, and he accepted that.

But this girl? She had nothing. Her mother, he assumed from her tomboyishness, had died before being able to turn her a bit more feminine, (but she does have femininity; the PJ girls made sure of that). And he already knew that her father was hosting Nabu at the moment- which was as good as dead. Nabu, most likely, would _**NEVER**_ let her father go. So, in other words, she was an orphan. Not that he cared, or anything!

He shook his head to clear it. No. He didn't care. He wasn't sad for her. He didn't feel bad. He didn't feel anything towards her, despite restrained interest in her. He didn't care about her. True, she had nobody. But then, he was ignoring her, also. So, what does that prove?


	5. Babymagic doesn't want to eat

_The Beauty of The Beast- chapter five: Babymagic doesn't wanna eat_

* * *

**_Me? Have ownership? Oh yeah! I got it last night. _**

**_Other Me: Nope. She's lying. _**

**_Me: No. Not lying. Ever heard of sarcasm? Yeah. I don't own still. Sorry, if you thought I did..._**

* * *

It had been seven o'clock when he'd informed her that she could stop now. She hadn't been doing anything, so she had no idea what she could stop, but she would stop nonetheless.

After that, she'd had several hours of free-time, in her room, doing nothing, like she had been doing all day. And why was that? Well, let's say it together,

"Klarion."

At nine, though, that was dinnertime.

Klarion had went up the stairs to get her. He'd started out politely, but got... not so polite after a few moments. He'd gone ahead and knocked politely, and said, "It's dinnertime. Let's go down now."

She'd repaid him for such a boring day with eerie silence instead of a threatening insult in Italian.

He'd raised an eye-brow at her revenge attempt. He closed his eyes and uttered the words, "Diabolus, egressus est, usque ad diem festum, cum tamen caede tua."

("Fiend, come out, down to feast, despite thine pout.")

Automatically, the door opened and the girl came out. She wasn't pouting, but there was a dangerous glare fixed firm on her face.

He rolled his eyes at the expression. Maybe next time I should tell you to 'Come out with a **_NICE_ **look on your face'."

She was clearly not amused, but that didn't bother him a bit.

As they continued to walk on, it was in eerie silence, but that also didn't bother him.

Teekl, who sat on his shoulder as always, was hissing fiercely at her. Zatanna was slightly disturbed by the cat, not because of the hissing, but because of the general obsession this cat seemed to have with Klarion. To her, anyone who could like him, needed serious help, feline or not.

She shied away from both the cat and its master. Klarion noticed and rolled his eyes, coming to the conclusion that Teekl's hissing was scaring her. "Teekl, make nice."

The cat looked like it wanted to claw him for a second for the rebuke, then turned back to looking as if ready to claw Zatanna.

Yep. That cat would definitely need to be watched.

* * *

As they entered the dining room, which, by the way, Zatanna found to be extremely creepy, Zatanna made it a point to sit as far away from Klarion and Teekl as she could. This entitled being on the other side of the head of the table, for the main head is the seat Klarion claimed.

He smirked, no doubt, guessing the cause. "Why so far away?" He chuckled at her obvious discomfort, "What? You're not scared of me, are you? Oh, come on. I'm not the worst you could be stuck with, am I?"

Zatanna said nothing.

He sighed. "What? Cat got your tongue?! I'll ask her to give it back right away," he snapped bitterly, suddenly finding himself mad at her silence, "Teekl, give her her tongue back."

Teekl was as clueless as Zatanna was at the moment.

_"I haven't taken anything, master,"_ she snapped at him telepathically.

He sighed aloud.

"I'm sorry," Zatanna said, suddenly surprising him, "I seemed to have offended you somehow. Teekl hasn't got my tongue, but I fear I may not be the best conversationalist."

He nodded his head politely. "No matter, I suppose."

Zatanna sat up straight, trying her best to be a good "guest", not that that's what she felt she was, cause it was abundantly clear that a "guest" was the last thing she was.

He noticed her posture, knowing full well that she wasn't used to dinners like these as he was with the other lords of chaos, and was surprised that she was, at least, trying.

He said nothing, trying to think of something to say. What did he know about her? Well, not much, actually. Her father was Nabu's host, so that was something. Her mother was dead, so better not to mention that. So that leaves...

"The team-"

"Excuse me?" Zatanna asked, almsot choking on air at the question. "What did you just say?"

"The team? What're they like? Your teammates, I mean."

She sighed, thinking back to her team- the team that she left behind days ago, to find out something that only led to her demise and capture. "Well, first there's Artemis. I'd have to say that she's the closest girl on the team to me. She's smart, but arrogant, and really good at archery. She's got a cru-" she stopped herself short, realizing that she almost gave up her best friend's crush, Wally West.

"She's got a what?" Klarion was confused to why exactly she had stopped.

"She's got a crushing strength when it comes to archery, is what I was about to say," she saved her friend's secret.

She sighed, realizing something strange- Klarion was strangely easy to talk to, no doubt the reason why she almost let the secret slip.

He nodded, believing it. "What else?"

"Well, then there's Aqualad. He's a lot like a brother to me. I don't know why, but he just seems to have that effect. He's cool and calming, and that's why he's our leader.

"Then there's Superboy-"

"Luthor's brat," Klarion hissed Luthor's name in distaste.

"Yes, Luthor's son. He's a bit hard to get to know, but he's not a bad guy, honestly..."

Klarion stopped listening about Superboy, as she continued her description of him. He didn't know why, but Klarion felt a special tug when he heard her talk about Superboy. It was so strange. Waxs it actually...

_jealousy?_

He shuddered at the thought.

_No that can't be,_ he decided, calming down. _If I were jealous, then why didn't hearing about Aqualad make me mad? I was fine then. _

He sighed, realizing why. She described him like a brother, that's why!

He shivered at the cunning truth behind why this Superboy made him mad. _I'm jealous of him. But why? There's no reason for it!_

"Hey, Klarion, you still listening?!"

Hew nodded.

"Great. I was about to tell you that Superboy is also like a brother to me."

He sighed, feeling a strange sense of relief about her words.

"There's also KF, or Kid Flash. He's kind of a goof-ball, but it's impossible to hate him..."

klarion hated him immediately, the same surging feeling as the one he got when hearing about Superboy returned. _Oh my God, why are you so mad?! She hasn't even explained their relationship yet!_

"Klarion, hello?" she had got up and was waving her hands in front of his face. "Hello? Earth to Klarion? Hello?"

She sighed, putting her hand on his shoulder, trying to shake him out of his daydream that way.

That jolted him back into reality.

"Yeah? What?"

"You were acting strange, well... stranger than normal..."

"Yes. right. Well, please do continue."

She nodded, trying to hide her confusion. Instead of returning back to her seat at the other end of the table, she sat closer to him, feeling that there was now no need to sit so far away from him now.

He was taken somewhat aback by her actions, but didn't question it. She continued, "I guess I could live with KF, but he's not really my type. Like I said about Aqualad and Superboy, he's only a brother to me."

He nodded, taking the information in calmly, doing his best to appear noncommittal.

"There's another girl on our team. Her name is Miss Martian. She's cool, but a bit shy. And she likes to hang out with the boys more than Artemis and I do. Martian also is a source of fun, but again, Artemis is my main friend there.

"Then lastly, there's... Robin. I don't really know quite how to explain him. He's a dear friend, but maybe more?"

That made Klarion sick to his stomach. He had waited all through that to hear that she had a boyfriend anyway.

_What's it matter to you? She's the enemy,_ he tried to reason with himself, but even he could tell that it really didn't matter.

Suddenly, he was pulled back by a confession, "But, then, I know what Rob is to me. He's like the other boys on the team, my brother."

Klarion felt a deep sense of relief course through him. He closed his eyes, shaking his head clear of crazy thoughts of her and Robin together.

So Robin and her were close. Who cares? That's all in the past. She was with him now- well, not with-with him, but that was a different story for later.

That much was clear.

* * *

After dinner, he walked her to her room, then left to be with himself- (well, and with Teekl, but you get the point).

He closed his eyes, falling against the door in defeat. What had he even lost to? His emotions, that's what. He'd let his emotion cloud his mind and now he was paying for it.

Teekl was a little less amused at his "weirdness".

_"Master, why are you sad?"_ she asked him lovingly, rubbing her tail up against the back of his neck.

He sighed. "Y_ou're gonna think I'm crazy, but what if it were possible that I developed feelings?"_

Teekl laughed mentally. "_Klarion, that's not possible. You are a lord a chaos. You are immortal, emotionless. That's how I raised you. Look, kid, just because a pretty feline comes along this millinium, doesn't mean that there won't be one in the next one. And who knows, maybe then, you can have your litter."_

He sighed aloud at her "Kittens" and "feline" descriptions._ "Teekl, she's not a cat. If we get together, he won't have a litter. Four kids at best, and that's only if we have quadruplets, and that's very rare. And why are we even talking about this?"_

Teekl shrugged._ "Hey, maybe it's time I gave you the "talk"."_

He shuddered, remembering the ONE other thing his mother had done to him. But that- that had been painful. Something he cursed her for ever telling him. He had been seven.

He shook his head frantically at the offer. _"No thanks, Teekl. I prefer my head un-exploded, if you don't mind."_

_"Klarion, you're dancing around the question that **you** asked. Is it because it scares you?"_

He glared at his familiar. Curse her for being right! _"So what if it is?!"_

She sighed, but it sounded more like a hiss. "_Well, I wish I could help you with that, but honestly, there's nothing I can do for that. You need to accept these feelings yourself, if that's what it is."_

_"But I thought you said it was impossible!"_

She smirked._ "Well, it's as you said it yourself; it's not impossible, just rare."_

He sighed._ "Can you be any more vague, Teek?"_

She smirked._ "Yes, actually. Now, get to bed, Kitten. Else you'll be tired in the morning, I daresay." _

He nodded in reply, not even bothering to fight her set curfew for him, but deciding this time to just let it slide.

But he decided that, while his apparent bed-time could pass, Zatanna couldn't. Hew wouldn't let her. **_EVER._** Not to Aqualad, not to Superboy, and definitely not to **_Robin_**.

Yes. It took him a total of one try to get her down the stairs at dinnertime, and sadly, the resort had been magic and yes; she was obviously still mad about having to play house-cleaner, but it had all been worth it.

He had her while Robin didn't.


	6. Babymagic gets Klarion wet

_The Beauty of The Beast- chapter six: Babymagic gets Klarion wet_

* * *

**_Yeah. Still don't own. So... enjoy..._**

* * *

Zatanna woke to the same bucket of water she did every morning. But, she found that she was not mad. Quite the opposite, actually. She just felt refreshed.

"Hey, how are you doing?" she asked her soaker, sitting up.

He raised an eye-brow. "What? No swearing or cursing my existence?" He mocked a smile and said in the same tone, "Now, now, Babymagic, that's not like you... Zatanna."

She smirked. "First name basis? Wow. Is that allowed?"

He shrugged. "If not, I'll make it so."

She grinned at his words. "Well, I guess I'll just have to let it slip, then, now won't I?"

He nodded, playing along still. He flailed his arms around in mock anger. "Well, I guess you will." He grinned evilly at her, "Or is that too hard for you, Babymagic?"

She sighed. "Let's hope not. Now are we just gonna stand here talking?"

He raised an eye-brow. "You're still sitting down..."

She knew he was right and nodded. "Yes... well, what I meant by that is 'help me up, will you?!'"

He sighed, this time, for real. "I hate it when you get like this."

She reached out an impatient hand to him. He grabbed her hand and tried pulling her up. But instead, this ended in his falling on top of her.

Zatanna gasped in shock when she realized that he was on top of her. She felt something strangely warm on her lips, also. She turned bright red when she realized that he had landed, not only on her, but with his lips on her's.

Klarion, on the other hand, was too surprised to move. He noticed right where he had landed- right between where her legs. And his lips, as far as he could tell, were being pressed up against her's.

He tried to get off her as quickly as he could, which resulted in only a few extra unintended kisses.

And a lot of awkwardness...

Teekl was a little less than amused. If anything, her hatred for Zatanna only deepened somewhat more. But Zatanna learned already just to ignore the hissing cat when she went into one of these moods.

Klarion sighed, looking down at himself.

Zatanna was trying not to laugh. He glared at her.

"Oh, just go downstairs, already, will you? I've got to go freshen up now."


	7. Babymagic wonders

_The Beauty of The Beast- chapter seven: Babymagic wonders_

* * *

**_Yeah, I'm trying to work on the concept "time travel", then MAYBE, just MAYBE, I can have ownership, but until then... Yeah, no... Sorry._**

* * *

Zatanna followed him only to the staircase, where he split off to get changed. She watched him walk away for a few minutes, wondering what his room looks like. She sighed, turning away to go to her actual destination.

* * *

Klarion, on the other hand, ahd seen his room one too many times.

He sighed at the blank, dark walls, covered in pictures of things that he'd describe as chaotic.

He sighed. Hm, maybe a redesign may be in order, but in a chaotic way...

He smirked at his won pun.

Well, the redesign would have to wait til later. Right now, he had a little, mischievous girl to look after- (*cough cough* babysit *cough cough*).

"Come on, Teekl. Let's go downstairs."

* * *

While Klarion had been gine, Zatanna had tried to entertain herself, but it didn't seem to work.

She'd decided to give juggling a go, though she hadn't juggled in years. It was made abundantly clearthat she was out of practice, and if Klarion walked in right about then... well, that would have been the most embarrassing thing in the world.

And he did.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

She gasped, her hands stopping their cycle, sending things hurtling down to their demise on the cold, hard floor.

She winced, realizing taht he'd probably made her clean up the shards.

He shook his head, catching sight of her wince. He rolled his eyes, guessing what she had been worried about. "Wow. That was sad."

She winced again.

Suddenly, the room was filled with the strangest sound in the world;

Klarion's laughter.

She whipped around on him in surprise.

He had a hand slightly on his mouth, confirming Zatanna's suspicions that he was trying to hide it. But he shouldn't; the sound was fantastic.

"Don't," she said suddenly, but the laughing continued.

Klarion tried to stop, but he couldn't. But he did manage to get out, "Stop laughing at you? I can't help it, Babymagic! I just can't help it. Everything you do... is just... so... _weird._"

She shook her head, walking over to him 'til she was standing only inches apart. "No. Don't hide that amazing sound."

He stared down at her in shock. He was checking any signs for sarcasm or a lie, but there was none.

They both started leaning in, almost at each other's lips, and then-

"Klarion! You evil, deceitful boy! Come out of hiding, you little rat!" came a strangely familiar voice.

Vandal Savage.

Klarion sighed, leaning back again. "I've got to go deal with this. Wait for me?"

She nodded, trying to hide her disappointment. He saw it clearly. "I'll be back, okay?!"

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah, come back when you're done."

Klarion smirked and nodded. "That's a promise."

* * *

"You needed something, Vandal?" the lord of chaos asked, appearing so suddenly behind him.

Klarion noted that Vandal wasn't alone. The whole team was there.

He sighed, hoping that they weren't thinking of taking Zatanna away from him so soon.

"Yes, I did," came Vandal's reply, which, to an extreme extreme, was mad. "The light wanted to make sure that you didn't lose control and hurt the prisoner in any way."

He was not amused. "I didn't."

One of the only Light members urged Vandal on, "Yes. But we need her in perfect health, otherwise Nabu won't come."

Klarion rolled his eyes at their logic. "He'll come anyway; she's an innocent- and Nabu's host is her father. That should be reason enough. If not, that I guess I'll have to stay a baby sitter."

Vandal smirked at the young boy. "I don't think you quite understand what will happen if he doesn't come soon. You won't be a baby-sitter anymore; she'll be dead, not that you'd care."

Klarion had to fight the urge to strangle Vandal right then and there. Instead, he closed his eyes and prayed silently, _Please come, Nabu._

But what God would listen to his cry after all he had done?

"We'll meet the girl now," Ra al Ghul said in a somewhat nicer tone than Vandal's.

Klarion nodded mutely. "This way, then."

* * *

Zatanna sat in her chair, boredom fraying her mind to the point of, again, another attempt at same as last time, she used Klarion's glass plates and cups.

She flung a knife in at one point.

"What the heck is she doing?" as a voice, startling her witless, causing her to have the same reaction as last time. But as the glass objects crashed to the ground, the knife, she caught, and threw it inches away from whoever who spoke's face.

Klarion's was trying desperately hard not to rub his face with his hand in exasperation. This is exactly the sort of situation he had prayed to avoid.

"My God, Woman, if you failed the first time, what makes you think you should try it again?" he acted for the crowd.

Zatanna instantly took up the role of the scared slave-girl. "I-I don't know; p-p-practice, M-Master?"

He was amazed that she had manged to catch on that fast. And her acting? Amazing. It took all his control not to applaud her right then and there.

He shook his head at her. "Wow. You _are_ pointless. Just try not to embarrass me any more than you already have, slave. You got that?"

She nodded "humbly", and scurried over to the farthest corner she could find to mock cower.

He almost laughed as he saw the peoples' mixed expressions about their master/slave relationship. They believed it!

"Oh, just clean it up already!" he snapped, resuming his role as stern master.

She nodded frantically, getting over and running over to the door, ready to go upstairs to get the broom from the closet, but his voice stopped her, "Where do you think you're going? Did you not hear me say to clean it up?"

"I-I did-d-d, M-Master. I was g-going to g-g-get the broom."

He rolled his eyes. "No. Clean it up without the broom."

Zatanna was actually shocked, so it didn't surprise him that it showed up on her face. "I-I can't. You t-t-took my m-m-m-magic."

He rolled his eyes, hating himself for saying what he was about to. But he could tell that some of the members weren't all, completely convinced. They'd have to sell their ruse at any cost- or her life was end... right then, right there. He snapped fiercely, "Don't tell me things that I already know! Now use your hands."

Zatanna was now beyond shocked. What the heck was Klarion pulling?!

She resisted the urge to sigh, instead settling on a scared sounding whimper. She ran over to the spot where the glass had broken.

Maybe if she were careful enough, it wouldn't cut her, but deep down, Zatanna understood that the glass had to cut her. Klarion had her pick it up with her hands for a reason, that she knew. She trusted him.

She leaned down, taking a few pieces into her hands. She closed her eyes in pain as a piece sliced her hand. Tears made their way down her cheeks.

She carried the small pieces over to the trash and dumped the first batch into it.

Her hands were now so cut up with small cuts that seemed so deep.

She went over to the broken glass again, picking up a bit more, wincing and whimpering every time a new cut formed. Tears made their way down her cheeks.

Klarion just wanted to look away from her and her pain, but he knew that wouldn't be fair. He got her into the situation in the first place. Also, since he did that, it was now his job to be there for her, even if he couldn't comfort her at the moment.

She started cleaning up the last of it. Her eyes were so red from crying and her face was pale, despite her now rosy cheeks. Her hands also were stained with blood, making Klarion want to puke.

He'd seen blood before, and the sight of it never bothered him before, but this was different. This girl was starting to mean something to him.

He winced mentally. He'd have to be the master again, "Slave, go to the broom closet and sweep the rest of this mess up."

Yep. If she didn't hate him after this, he'd hate himself (not that he didn't already...)

She nodded meekly.

She ran frantically over to the door, opening it, and ran out to get what her master demanded. All she left behind was a bloody doorknob.

* * *

Zatanna felt their glances on her as she swept the remaining glass in the dustpan. She could taste bile in her throat at the sight of her blood running down the broom's handle.

She wasn't mad at Klarion. She knew that he had a plan, and trusted that she could help his execute it perfect.

She closed her eyes, playing the victim as much as herself at the moment.

She swept up the last of it and disposed of it.

"I-I'm done, Master," she "reported".

He nodded gruffly. "Very well. I trust that these men have gathered enough information on you. You may go now."

She nodded and hurried off to her room, cursing her bloody hands at every doorknob she encountered.

* * *

Klarion sighed. "Poor girl, she is. Crazy as a bucket of loons, too, so I say that you avoid her somewhat."

They all nodded, believing everything he said after that performance. "Yes, just don't hurt her any more than you have to, boy. She may have use to us yet."

He nodded, and mock sighed. "Yeah, I figured," he said, "disappointed".

"Okay, we'll be taking our leave then. We'll leave you to it."

Klarion nodded, making them a portal so they could leave. As soon as they were gone, he ran up the stairs, desperate at finding Zatanna.

He knew exactly where she was; her room. But would she ever open the door back open to him?

* * *

He knocked on the door, willing her to open it. She did so immediately.

"Zatanna, I'm so sorry," he cried when he saw her hands, "Look, you were in danger. I had to make them believe that you are nothing to be but a worthless slave."

She nodded. "I believe you. I always did."

He nodded, happy to hear that news, but sickened by the state of her hands. "Give me your hands."

She did just that.

"Gash være forseglet, reparere dine hænder. Heal du evig, støbt i bands."

("Gash be sealed, mend thy hands. Heal thou eternal, cast in bands.")

She gasp as the band on her wrist that stole her magic suddenly began glowing.

"There," Klarion said, satisfied, "That spell should heal you forever. And if the Light comes back, it'll give them an illusion that you're hurt."

Zatanna stared at him in shock. "That's the nicest thing anyone's ever done for me. But why would you do it?"

He sighed, rolling his eyes. "It's not obvious to you?"

"Well, no-"

He roughly grabbed her lips with his, wiping away all thoughts of speaking at all. She had expected him to be soft, testing the waters to see if she would respond, but he didn't even wait fir a response. She felt his arms tighten around her suffocatingly tight.

She felt them go backwards into her room. She heard the door close, but it sounded so far away.

Klarion pulled his lips off her's.

He was happily surprised with the fact that she was somewhat blue and panting rapidly.

She caught him looking. "What?" she asked.

He smirked, reclaiming her lips as his. She hadn't even got a chance to refuse.

But that's just how it went., they'd pause ever so slightly to breathe, then they'd just tire themselves out faster than the time before.

Soon the night rang twelve o'clock. Klarion sighed, stopping his lip attack mid-kiss. "You should probably get to sleep."

She nodded.

He kissed her on the cheek , biding her "Goodnight", then quickly exited the room.

Zatanna touched her lips, right where he had kissed her. She sighed, content with that day, despite the slight setbacks.

As she laid in bed, all she could do was imagine Klarion's face. And that's exactly what she dreamed of.


	8. Babymagic misses home

_The Beauty of The Beast- chapter eight: Babymagic misses home_

* * *

**_Me and OtherMe, LastMe, and OtherOtherMe don't own anything. Okay? That's several disclaimer in one._**

* * *

"Hey, hey, wake up," came a familiar voice.

Zatanna sat up, smiling broadly at him. "Hey!"

He smirked, thinking back to the night before. "Hey, hey, what?"

She laughed, hitting his chest playfully.

He smirked, leaning forward to steal a quick kiss.

She stared at him. He stared right back. "Wow, Klarion, I didn't think that kissing the babysitee in the job description."

He smirked, claiming another kiss. "What can I say? It pays well."

She laughed at his expression. "Well, as much as I'd love to sit here and talk like this all day, I think there are chores that I have to get done."

He rolled his eyes. "Let the invisible minions take care of that. Let's just stay here talking."

She raised an eye-brow at him. "You have invisible minions?"

He smirked. "No, **_WE_ **have invisible minions. You live here, too, remember?"

She nodded. He noticed as a small flash of sadness glinted in her eyes.

He wanted nothing more than to desperately comfort her. But what was wrong in the first place? Was this place not good enough for her? He'd just offered the world to her and she was sad?! what's with that?! Then realization hit.

"You miss home _that_ much, Babymagic?" he tried not to sound pained, but it was hard when trying your best to breathe was the outcome.

She looked away guiltily. "A little bit. I'll get over in, though."

He nodded, feeling a bit selfish for keeping her at all. "I can't set you free, else the Light will just recapture you again, but I can give you the next best thing." He took her hand gently. "Come on."

They walked out the door and into a blank room.

"When did this place get here? I've never seen it before."

He smirked. "Well, you wouldn't. It's a special room. I call it the Quod "locus aeternae makeshift", the place of eternal makeshift."

She nodded. "What does it do?"

He smiled. "Hasty, are we? Well, the room shows you what you want to see. Just say the right words and it'll show yu what you want to see most in the entire world."

Her eyes went wide. "That's amazing."

"Thanks," he said in a not so humble way, "I invented it myself, the genius I am!"

She rolled her eyes at his gloating session.

When he was done, he stated simply, "Well, now that my gloating session's done, what do you wanna see?"

She didn't even have to think about it. "My friends."

Klarion winced. He wished that she had chosen something else, but it was to be expected, after all.

'Deduc me ad amicos tuos, ut facies suas ostenderent. Non fugiat, in suo. "

("Take me to thy friends, show their faces. Never avoid, in their places.")

Zatanna gasped as they suddenly appeared in the kitchen of Mount Justice. She saw Megan making cookies and Connor sitting in the other room, watching her. Artemis suddenly ran into the room, straight through Zatanna, making her realize that, as amazing as this illusion was, it was just that; an illusion.

Nothing more; nothing less.

Wally suddenly ran through Klarion, making his appearance flutter slightly. The Lord of Chaos himself just sighed and rolled his eyes. "Even in a simulation, he still has that effect on people," she heard him mutter.

She laughed, not being able to contain herself after his outburst. Yep. Wally did have that effect on everyone.

She returned her attention back to her friends. While she had been laughing, Aqualad and Robin had entered the room. They were conversing, no doubt, a battle plan. Rob was nodding his head as Kaldur explained something to him.

"Yes, that could work," he promised.

Zatanna couldn't help but smile at the images. This was how it normally was at Mount Justice. She felt a pang of sadness for their REAL absence. Klarion saw her sadness and took it the wrong way.

"Zan, if you wanna go back, you can," he forced the words out. "I can make an excuse for the Light."

She gasped in surprise. "No! I don't wanna go back. I wanna stay here... with you..." she glanced down at the ground in embarrassment.

He felt a small smile slip onto his face. "Okay."

She ran over and hugged him. The only thing he could think of at the moment was, "Finally."


	9. Obsessed? No, I'm not obsessed

The Beauty of The Beast- chapter nine: The Robins makes a plan

* * *

**All Mes or mes of any kind do not own a thing. Okay, to be clear, no one other than the respective owners (which I am NOT) owns a thing. **

* * *

Zatanna had been to visit the Quod locus aeternae makeshift. She loved watching her friends do their general, daily things. Like when M'gann and Connor were fighting over something stupid like what movie they wanted to see. Or when Artemis practiced her archery. Or when Aqualad tried to calm the others when Roy riled them up. Or when Robin was hacking corrupt government facilities from the young justice HD's. Or in when Wally did something stupid, and got Artemis all mad at him.

It was almost like she was back with them now. Almost. But she wasn't. She didn't regret her decision to stay with Klarion, but that also didn't change the fact that she still felt the pangs of homesickness. She knew it worried Klarion that she spent so much time in the room. She knew that he was afraid that she'd just up and leave. Without ever saying goodbye. Or anything. But she knew herself and knew that she'd never do that.

Would she?

* * *

Teekl watched as her so-called kitten paced the cold floors of his office. She's noticed that he'd started doing this a lot more since he'd shown Zatanna the Quod locus aeternae makeshift. Teekl personally considered herself a genius, but she also knew that even an idiot could tell that the girl was starting to get a little obsessed with that room. And that Klarion was starting to get obsessed with the waiting for her to come out.

"Ease yourself, young one," the mother cat warned.

Klarion frowned at her words. "I am at ease," he replied.

If he'd continued to look at Teekl, he'd have seen that there was a strange sort of all-knowing smile on the cat's face. "Oh, so you're telling me that the signs you're showing are that of ease? No. Pacing the floor, waiting for your girlfriend to leave your tacky illusion room, is not ease. It's obsession."

A deep sigh crackled from the boy's lips. "Teekl, what do you want from me? I feel like I haven't seen her in days!"

He swore that he heard the cat actually laugh. "You live together, and you're telling me that you haven't seen her in days?!"

More laughter.

Klarion didn't think that it was funny.

But he was patient, and you had to give him credit for that. "May I remind you that I lived with my parents for a few millennia and we hardly saw each other, let alone talked. So, yeah, to me, it feels like forever."

"Okay, I see your point. But still, this is getting to became an9 obsession. What if her father doesn't come? What then? You heard what they said. They'll kill her without a thought if her father's a no-show."

"I know that!" He swore, rubbing his face with his hands. "I know that, Teekl. And it scares me."


End file.
